The Cave
by Flufffy
Summary: Secrets aren't the only things that lurk in the darkness. Ft. Pain, monsters and some stuff that we'll never see in canon (cuddling?).


I clenched my jaw, feeling the tug inside me. The longing for that cave, that darkness that promised me so much. So many answers there that I might never come across again. It enticed me with promises of answers, before it took one final pull, and I gave in. I turned, setting off towards the cove were the darkness lay in wait.

The wind whipped my hair, mingling the salty sea spray with my tears. I wanted to turn back, but my feet kept going. My stubborn soul refused to stop, no matter how hard my gut screamed '_Stop_'.

Luke had told me not to let fear into my heart, or anger. But here I was now, walking straight into the den of evil that he warned me against. My gut was screaming to turn back, to run while I still had a chance, but my body moved on, as if in a trance.

Eventually I stood at the edge of the last small cliff that separated the island from the chasm of malevolence.

Lightning flashed, reflecting across the black rock and the blacker vines that crept across it it's bare face, reaching out towards the virtue of the island, craving the act of corruption. Yet here was I, ready and willing to feed the foulness with my compliance. No, not compliance. Curiosity.

I leapt silently down into the cove, silent. The sea sputtered angrily at me as I moved to crouch before the inky black void.

I crept forward to peer into the darkness, but it was as black as pitch, impenetrable to all eyes. I was sat, crouched at the very edge of the hole when I felt a touch on my ankle. It was slimy, slippery. But I didn't have enough time to even grab my saber before the touch turned to a vice grip, and I was yanked down into the darkness.

As I tumbled down I had only about two seconds before I hit the water. In those few seconds, I saw a chiseled, scared face watching me. I opened my mouth to scream, but it was filled with foul water instead.

The creature, whatever it was, was dragging me deeper into the freezing water. If I had not been paralyzed by the shock of the cold, it would have been because of the water itself. I always hated to admit weakness, but my greatest and most secret fear was that of murky water. I was raised on a planet where you were lucky to have even seen a puddle, so it was safe to say I didn't know how to swim.

As I struggled towards the surface, whatever held my ankle tightened its grip, to firm for me to slip loose. As my lungs begin to complain at the lack of air my panic seemed to clear some of the fog: my lightsaber. I grabbed it and slashed at the vile creature that held me. I felt my saber sever flesh. I was free!

Bobbing to the surface I saw that I had not imagined the face on my way down. Kylo Ren stood on a ledge above the water about ten feet away. I sputtered, trying to refill my lungs, but the air felt just as suffocating as the water.

Kylo lent his back against the wall of the cave watching me, shoulders held back, arms folded in defiance.

I broke our gaze and struck out towards the ledge he stood upon. I was only a few feet from him when his eyes widened. More vile tentacles writhed up my leg, around my waist, then my arms. My eyes flashed to him for a split second as I was wrenched under once more. I didn't even get a chance to scream this time. I could feel the breath being squeezed from my lungs as my body was crushed. Muscles restrained, I was dragged further and further down. The light from the entrance of the cave began to fade away and I closed my eyes, trying to will this creature of evil away from me. The only response that I received was a sudden jolt of pain as the tentacles tightened.

Opening my eyes I stared around. Panic. Pain. Death. I was going to die here, encircled and suffocated by darkness. Then I caught a flash of red. It danced around me, disappearing behind writhing columns of darkness only to reappear again as they fell away. One of the flashes illuminated a face, a familiar one. A scar from my lightsaber ran across the cheek. Then he was gone once more.

As the last of the clammy tendrils fell away from my body something firmer caught my waist, dragging me towards the surface.

**~~~:~~~**

Black spots swam across my vision as I gasped. My head was pounding from the sudden return of air.

Kylo dragged me to the edge of the pool and lifted me onto the stone ledge, pulling himself after.

"Why did you-" I coughed and some of the putrid sea water spilled across my lips. I wiped it away and spat, "help me?"

Kylo had pulled himself up so that he sat crossed legged, back once more against the wall. "What, no thank you?" He used the same nonchalant tone that he always did when we were connected like this. "Just why?"

"Yes, why?" I closed my eyes and pushed back the nausea. "You could have easily been rid of an enemy."

"If you died like that there would be no fun left for me. I'd much rather vanquish you as an equal, in a fair fight."

"So you saved me solely for your amusement."

His eyes glimmered as he watched me."I suppose you could say that."

"And you're sure it wasn't to avoid having another death on your hands, Ben?"

"Don't call me that." His tone had changed, became bitter, "I will kill you someday, but not unless it is in a fair fight."

"Then why not one of these past days. We've connected this way before, on even grounds."

"Killing you will require a certain amount ceremony. What if we are disconnected in the middle of a fight? It would have been a complete waste of time."

"That feels like a load of excuses to me. You've told me time and again that I am nothing, I am scum, I am merely a bug to be crushed between your fingers."

"You are."

"Then why not do it now and be done? My eyes are closed and I'm weak. It would be a beautiful ironic death, to kill me after saving me."

Nothing but silence. It filled the cave, sinking into my heart and filling my lungs. I felt almost peaceful. Then finally:

"How _thick_ are you? You saw me kill my father. You know what I am capable of, Rey."

"Are you still capable of it, Ben? Do you genuinely not regret his death with every single breath you take?"

"I regret nothing." His voice was hoarse, bitter as ginger and choked with emotion.

I forced myself to open my eyes and look at him. He sat rigidly, fists clenched.

"Liar."

He jumped to his feet and spun on his heel, glowering down at me. "I ought to throw you back in. How dare you call me a liar."

"You say you're one with the dark side. If that is the case, lying is part of your very nature. You tell yourself that you don't feel pain from loss, but you feel guilty because that pain is constantly stabbing the back of your mind. Ben, you're not a Sith and you're not Vader. You're only human, thus you feel pain."

He paced away from me. I could almost see the passion on his face despite it being turned away.

"If I'm a liar, so are you." He choked out, "You know what happened to your parents, Ray. And yet every day you lie to everyone including yourself, saying that there is hope."

"There is always hope. Maybe not for my family, but perhaps for the rebellion. Perhaps... for you too." I waited hopefully, "Ben, look at me."

He pivoted and I could finally how twisted his face had become. He was holding back tears, words, fears.

"Come here."

He dug his heels into the ground, so I stood instead and held out my hand. "What are you afraid of?"

A tear slid down his cheek as he hissed and stepped away from me.

"I can _see_ the fear behind your eyes."

"You see nothing. You're still lying to yourself."

"It's me." I dropped my hand. "You're afraid of me, aren't you."

We stood still, his eyes drilling into mine. The tear rolled down his cheek, caught in the groove of his scar.

Then came the sound I had been waiting for; the eerie cry of a lightsaber being drawn. But it wasn't Ben's, it was mine. In the hand of Luke Skywalker.

"Rey, step away." Luke pointed my saber at Ben. "You're daft to think there is any light left in him."

Ben scoffed, "If you think she'll listen to you, you're just as foolish as she is. She's convinced that I can still be turned back."

"Luke, put my saber down." I stepped to Ben's and held my hand out to his former master, hoping.

"I don't think so, Rey. You came here wanting a hero, so you'll get just that." He stood in a ready stance, eyes locked on Ben. His eyes had a shine that I had never seen in them, a glint of stubborn honor and pride.

"Don't make the same mistake twice." I pleaded.

Ben lifted up his saber and unsheathed it. The light of the weapons reflected off the water and danced across the ceiling.

I stepped in between them, arms spread, seeking in vain for even a slight sign of submission.

"Rey, I know you have your best interests in mind, but please stay out of this." Luke gestured his head towards the exit of the cave.

"No." I hissed. "Ben, stab me."

"What!." Both stopped, seeming to freeze from the shock of my words. I turned to Ben and grabbed his wrist, driving his saber towards my stomach. He twisted out of my grip, then thrust me away.

I landed on my knees, the cold stone sending a shock through my entire body. As I attempted to regain my feet, Ben sheathed his saber. His chest was heaving as he stared down at me.

"Unsheath your saber, or let me use Luke's on you. Please."

"Rey, I won't kill you." He took a step back and thrust it behind his back.

"No, you won't. Now stab me."

"She's asking for it, just do it already, damn it." Luke lunged at me, but Ben moved to block him, trying to shield me.

I hissed as the saber bit through my side. It was only a grazed but it was as if a lightning bolt was tearing through my flesh.

Ben spun and knelt next to me, touching the hole in my shirt tenderly. I bit my lip at the pain. Luke stood behind him, staring down at us. He sheathed his saber and stepped back.

"It didn't even touch him." He whispered. "He should be lying on the floor dead. Rey, what happened?"

"You can't use weapons during astral projection, you ought to know that." I winced as Ben helped me to my feet, "I wanted to Ben to show you that, but I suppose you've learned for yourself now."

"Why did you try and stop us then." He stepped towards me, but Ben held up a hand, Stopping Luke in his tracks.

"It wasn't you hurting each other that I wanted to stop. It was the act of distrust that you show when you attack him. You've scared him enough mentally."

"You were afraid that if I tried and failed to kill him, he'd be pushed over the edge."

Ben moved towards Luke, and he backed away. "Leave this place Skywalker. The damage is done."

"Ben, I didn't mean it. I was afraid. I lost control, I-"

"Leave!" Ben roared. He raised his fist and took another step.

Luke glanced past him at me, and Ben growled, "I can still hit you old man, I don't need a weapon to kill. _Leave_."

"Ben," I murmured, backing towards the wall. "Stop."

He let out a sigh, and his spirit seemed to vanish along with the air from his lungs. Fresh tears glistened in his eyes. "You're a idiot, you know that?"

"I probably am." I slid down the wall and rested my head against the stone. The chill of the cave wall felt soothing. "But you're one too."

"I know. But Rey, that was genuinely foolish of you. Why would you do something like that?"

"I hoped that you would both realize that you couldn't do anything. And maybe he'd realize that I wasn't in over my head. You were both acting like I needed protecting."

"Perhaps asking to be stabbed wasn't the best strategy." He came and crouched over me. "Is it bad?"

"It's better now, but I should probably get back to the ship. We have medical supplies there."

He shifted to my side and began to lift me.

"No, please stop." I touched his shoulder gently. "You can't even see where you're going. I'll wait here until I can stand."

He let me back down, but his arm remained around my shoulders. "I can see when I'm touching you. We're in a dark cave, the only light is coming from a slit in the wall and a hole in the ceiling. There is a mass of water in the center that connects to the sea."

I laughed. But it was a weak laugh, for my energy was draining. "Maybe I'll just wait until morning. But thank you."

"I'll stay with you then." He twisted until his back was settled against the wall. His arm remained around my shoulders and I felt an inexplicable urge to curl up against him.

"I appreciate it, but-"

He tilted my chin up so I met his eyes. "Rey, do you want me to stay?"

"I…" I looked down. Why could I no longer meet his eyes? "Alright."

"Alright? Is that a yes or…"

"It's a yes."

"Alright." He lent back and sighed. Wind whistled through the cave and I could hear the faint crash of angry waves on the rocks outside

**~~~:~~~**

My eyes flew open. A wave of panic ran through me, then I felt the arms that encircled my shoulders. I became aware of another being next to me, who had drawn me to his side during the night and now sat with my head tucked comfortably beneath his chin.

Ben let out a hushed sigh as I pulled away from his side a little to look up at him. He was watching the water lap against the cave walls, but as he felt me move he peered down, letting me see the slight smile he wore. Then he hurriedly pulled his arms from my shoulders and shifted away. A light rose color dawned across his cheeks.

He shrugged sheepishly. "You were crying in your sleep. I didn't know what… what to do." He looked out at the crack in the cave wall.

"Thank you," I whispered. I stretched my arms and stood very slowly.

Ben rose hastily, then froze. "I- do you still want me to help you back to your ship?"

"Would you?" I asked. I was trying to walk, but every small step I took made me wince.

"I can if you want." He neared my injured side, then hesitated again.

It was my turn to smile. "I'd like that." I reached up and hooked my arm around his shoulders. He smiled down at me, then stooping slightly, he lifted me, "Perhaps this might work a little better."

I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Fine."

He smiled down at me, then he bent his head, kissing my lips gently.


End file.
